The present disclosure provides for a steering control method and a steering control system for self-driving of a vehicle. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining information about an expected steering angle of a vehicle based on an automatic planning control operation; detecting whether an effective torque is applied to a steering wheel by a driver; and when it is detected that the driver has applied the effective torque to the steering wheel, computing a difference between a turning angle of the steering wheel controlled by the driver and the expected steering angle of a vehicle, and determining a self-driving intent prompt torque according to the difference between the two, wherein the self-driving intent prompt torque is to be applied to a steering system.

A vehicle steering device includes a steering wheel, an input shaft, an output shaft coupled to the input shaft via a torsion bar, an electric motor, a torque detector that detects a torsion bar torque applied to the torsion bar, a rotational angle detector that detects a rotational angle of the electric motor, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer is configured to estimate a driver torque applied to the steering wheel using at least (i) the torsion bar torque detected by the torque detector, (ii) the rotational angle of the electric motor detected by the rotational angle detector, and (iii) a physical model that is constructed with a torsion bar viscosity and a torsion bar rigidity, and determine whether the steering wheel is operated in a hands-on state or a hands-off state based on the estimated driver torque.

A vehicle steering device includes a steering wheel, an input shaft, an output shaft coupled to the input shaft via a torsion bar, an electric motor, a torque detector that detects a torsion bar torque applied to the torsion bar, a rotational angle detector that detects a rotational angle of the electric motor, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer is configured to estimate a driver torque applied to the steering wheel using at least (i) the torsion bar torque detected by the torque detector, (ii) the rotational angle of the electric motor detected by the rotational angle detector, and (iii) a physical model that is constructed with a torsion bar viscosity and a torsion bar rigidity, and determine whether the steering wheel is operated in a hands-on state or a hands-off state based on the estimated driver torque.

A motor control apparatus includes: multiple motor drive circuits that drive at least one motor; and multiple microcomputers that are operated by a microcomputer power source and include a drive signal generator that generates a motor drive signal. The microcomputers include at least one microcomputer including a stop determiner that determines that operation of an own microcomputer is about to be stopped and transmits information as a stop determination signal. A microcomputer having received the stop determination signal from at least one different microcomputer actually stops operation of an own microcomputer.

A motor control apparatus includes: multiple motor drive circuits that drive at least one motor; and multiple microcomputers that are operated by a microcomputer power source and include a drive signal generator that generates a motor drive signal. The microcomputers include at least one microcomputer including a stop determiner that determines that operation of an own microcomputer is about to be stopped and transmits information as a stop determination signal. A microcomputer having received the stop determination signal from at least one different microcomputer actually stops operation of an own microcomputer.

For a vehicle having left and right powered front wheels and a rear axle having left and right casters, with at least one of the casters being steerable, the steering angle of the steerable caster is controlled when the vehicle is stationary and executing a direction orientation maneuver prior to transitioning to a turn. The rotations of the steerable caster and at least one of the left and right wheels may be autonomously adjusted using a controller. The controller rotates the steerable caster about a caster axis in a direction consistent with the direction of the turn through a steering angle proportion to the magnitude of the turn, and rotates at least one of the left and right wheels to turn the vehicle in a direction consistent with the direction of the turn and in proportion to the magnitude of the turn.

For a vehicle having left and right powered front wheels and a rear axle having left and right casters, with at least one of the casters being steerable, the steering angle of the steerable caster is controlled when the vehicle is stationary and executing a direction orientation maneuver prior to transitioning to a turn. The rotations of the steerable caster and at least one of the left and right wheels may be autonomously adjusted using a controller. The controller rotates the steerable caster about a caster axis in a direction consistent with the direction of the turn through a steering angle proportion to the magnitude of the turn, and rotates at least one of the left and right wheels to turn the vehicle in a direction consistent with the direction of the turn and in proportion to the magnitude of the turn.

A motor control apparatus include: multiple motor drive circuits that drives at least one motor; multiple microcomputers that include a drive signal generator, and a drive timing generator; and multiple clock generation circuits. The microcomputers include a synchronization signal transmitter microcomputer as at least one microcomputer that transmits a synchronization signal synchronized with the drive timing of an own microcomputer and synchronizing the drive timing of the microcomputers. The microcomputers include a synchronization signal receiver microcomputer as at least one microcomputer that receives the synchronization signal transmitted from the synchronization signal transmitter microcomputer.

A motor control apparatus include: multiple motor drive circuits that drives at least one motor; multiple microcomputers that include a drive signal generator, and a drive timing generator; and multiple clock generation circuits. The microcomputers include a synchronization signal transmitter microcomputer as at least one microcomputer that transmits a synchronization signal synchronized with the drive timing of an own microcomputer and synchronizing the drive timing of the microcomputers. The microcomputers include a synchronization signal receiver microcomputer as at least one microcomputer that receives the synchronization signal transmitted from the synchronization signal transmitter microcomputer.

A method for detecting the presence of a drivers hands on the steering wheel of a motor vehicle is described. By means of a mathematical model, at least one part of a steering system of the motor vehicle is modeled. In addition, a rotational angle of a lower end and/or an upper end of a torsion bar of the steering system is determined. A torque acting on the torsion bar is determined by means of a measuring device and a total torque acting on the steering wheel and a rotational angle acceleration of the steering wheel are estimated by means of a Kalman Filter.